Hello, May!

After grousing about how the weather here in the UK was being particularly fickle, I'm having to eat my words this week. Just look at the extended forecast.

Highs in the mid 70s are expected this next weekend. It's practically a heatwave in May. The Brits will be out in full force, sporting shorts and tanks with lily white extremities, soaking up any bits of sun while enjoying the seasonal temps. The outside dining areas in restaurants and pubs will be filled to overflowing. The paths along the river will look like motorways at the peak of rush hour - bikes, dog walkers and strollers as far as the eye can see.

The lone tree in our smallish front yard finally decided to bloom. The tree itself isn't anything to talk about, but these pink blooms are absolutely lovely. I've got no clue what variety it is, but I'm really enjoying the show of colour.

This morning I enjoyed a lovely stroll over to the local grocery store to pick up the fixin's for some chicken noodle soup. It's a simple meal I know the teenager enjoys and I'll get some mileage out of it with leftovers. Add a cheese baton (that's UK speak for a short loaf of french-style bread with some cheese melted on the exterior) and it's a meal.

Ollie is sitting around, impatiently waiting for his ride to doggy daycare, no doubt wondering why I won't take him for a walk in all this fabulous sunshine. In anticipation of the warm temps, I purchased one of those elevated mesh beds that I've seen in the pics we receive in our weekly email from the doggy daycare. It's sprung like a trampoline, so it's more comfortable than the hard ground. Plus it's supposed to help keep them cool in warmer temps because it's raised. You'd think that wouldn't be a problem here in England, dogs getting overheated. But keep in mind that the majority of homes on this side of the pond don't have air conditioning. You open your windows and either hope for a stiff breeze or purchase some oscillating floor fans and hope you don't have to suffer through a prolonged heat wave. Just to make the folks back home jealous, I'd consider a UK heat wave to be temps over 80° F. What won't make you jealous - windows without screens to keep out the flying critters. 

This is what Ollie is supposed to do... lounge about in comfort.

But this is how it's playing out thus far. 

He has been on it a couple times... because we tossed a doggy treat up there and he hopped up to retrieve it. I'm convinced he'll use it as the temps climb a bit more. We'll see. Otherwise it will be donated to the doggy daycare so his other little doggy friends can enjoy it if it never catches on here at home.